Frame(D)

This production of Frame(D) contains mentions of racism, homophobia, war, and pedophilia. It also contains loud noises and flashing lights.

DIRECTOR & PLAYWRIGHT’S NOTE

I am honored to be not only the director of Frame(D) but the playwright as well. Throughout my time at Purchase College, I have longed for the ability to write and showcase real pieces that reflect the harsh truths of today’s society, and even the realities of broken systems within our own institution. In February 2021, I channeled my frustrations into what is now known as Frame(D). Frame(D) is my swan song that closes my final curtain at Purchase, but my goal as director is that our audience is left with so much more.

Through this interactive-multimedia-experience, we echo the necessary conversations of homophobia, racism, classism, and sexual assault. This project has been built and sustained by the poise, compassion, and strength of all of my fellow senior collaborators (Ryan LeViness, Brielle Nostro, and Paola Solis-Ramirez), amazing crew, and phenomenal cast, despite facing many hardships along the way, I cannot thank David Bassuk and Jordan Schildcrout enough for their guidance when this process felt hopeless and I felt voiceless.

I hope that each audience member will feel the pain and passion that has gone into this production. I am extremely proud of what we are putting out to the world, welcome to Frame(D).

NYS Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline: Call 800.942.6906, or text 844.997.2121

-Leah M. Bickley

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DRAMATURG’S NOTE

Welcome guys, gals, and non-binary pals, thank you for joining us tonight! Now to start us off, there are words that may sound a bit strange, words like the bee’s knees or the cat’s meow. Do you remember the first time you read The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald? Were you in an English class somewhere or was this in the comfort of your own home? How vividly can you recall being called “Old Sport” by Leonardo Dicaprio? Words like these may seem nonsensical yet they are etched into the back of our minds, connected to these experiences. When you hear the phrase “Old Sport” do you hear the great Jay Gastby or is there perhaps another memory attached. Memories can often be treasured or despised, often reintroduced into our lives when we least expect it. How about that time you achieved one of your goals? The last time you fought with your parents or guardian? When was the last time you were playing a game with very high stakes, and you lost, how upset or angry did you get? Were there feelings of hatred or a sense of wanting to get back at the winner? Memories can leave lasting impressions on an individual with bad memories often being the driving force for revenge in some cases. How far would you be willing to go to get revenge?

~ Ryan LeViness

Paola Solis-Ramirez: (Production Stage Manager, Assistant Director and Producer) is a senior Theater and Performance and Arts Management double major. Her past credits include, Macbeth (2019), What to Send Up When It Goes Down (2020), GunshotDoorslam (2020) Dance Nation (2020) and The Last Five Years (2021). She would like to thank her family, friends and professors for all of their support. After graduation, Paola will work as the Production/Facilities Assistant and Studio Coordinator at Manhattan Theater Club.

Brielle Nostro: (Mrs. Diamond and Producer) is a senior at Purchase studying Theatre and Performance and Arts Management. She is the Co-Director of the club Crescendo on campus and has previously been in senior projects including No Strings and A Robot Wrote This before the pandemic. She is one of the collaborators of Frame(d) and will be playing Mrs. Diamond in the show. She loves music, cheese, and Danny DeVito and is so excited to be a part of this amazing team. Fun fact about her is that she can sing and speak with her mouth closed.

Ryan LeViness: (Colonel amber, Dramaturg and Producer) He’s mainly done off broadways shows and performances with more notable ones being Small Mouth Sounds, A Little Night Music, and a collection of scenes from playwright John Cariani’s notable works such as Almost Maine and Love/Sick. This is his first project as a dramaturg but otherwise he’s been a part of almost every part of the theatre process (examples: Lighting, directing, stage-managing, film, etc.).

Noah Rigby: (Butler/Mayor Andrews) (he/him) is a senior Creative Writing Major at SUNY Purchase with a double minor in Theatre Performance and Playwriting. When he’s not writing he’s either walking through nature, lounging about, or using the term “vibing” in semi-professional emails. He primarily likes to write and/or be involved in works that promote social change and emphasize the importance of human connection. He has had poetry published in Gutter Mag and Chaotic Merge, fiction published in Italics Mine, and has won multiple awards for his playwriting.

Norah O’Brien: (Techie/Casey Peters) (she/they) is a 20-year-old, interdisciplinary artist, who is studying Arts Management. This young talent loves to create unique works that combine acting, directing, and music skills. Since 2015, they have been expanding their education to the full spectrum of performing arts, including backstage work. This work includes writing, directing, acting, dancing, stage management, and music production. They are very grateful to be a part of this production and to be back on stage after Covid.

Olivia Rose Perrone: (Mrs. Ruby/Valentina Jimenez) (she/her) is a performer, actress, singer, and writer from Westchester, NY. She also owns a small handmade art & jewelry business called Rose Beads Boutique. Olivia is a third-year student at SUNY Purchase pursuing a double major in Theatre & Performance and Playwriting & Screenwriting. Some of Olivia’s most notable acting credits include Donna in Mamma Mia, The Witch in Into the Woods, Judy in 9 to 5, and Daisy in The Great Gatsby. She aspires to pursue performing and writing for live theatre, film, and television, as well as voice acting, modeling and more. Olivia is extremely proud of and grateful for all of the seniors who collaborated on this project and everyone else involved! Huzzah!

Roxane Guyton - von Eck: (Mrs. Sapphire/Dani Peters) is a sophomore transfer at Purchase college. She transferred here from Fordham Lincoln Center after taking a gap year over Covid. She is a theater and performance major. She was a drama major at Frank Sinatra School the Arts in New York City. She has performed in numerous shows, including Clybourne Park, The One Act Play Festival with Frank Sinatra, and the documentary Cross Eyed.

Jorin Clougherty: (Professor Amethyst/Alex) is a sophomore from Ithaca, NY. He likes plants, food, and fuzzy animals. He would like to thank the cast and crew (love y’all), his family, and everyone at D-Hall!

Nahiem Paris: (Mr. Emerald) is a third-year student majoring as a theatre performance major and also arts and management. Nahiem loves to dance, cook, game, and shop. He would love to thank all of his friends and Purchase community for coming together and helping make a better change on campus.

Chelsea Muller: (Stage Manager) is a junior Theatre and Performance, and Psychology double major. Some of her past credits include The Admirable Crichton (2018), Things my Mother Taught Me (2019), Cinderella (2019), and The Last Five Years (2021). She would like to thank her family and friends for their support throughout this entire process, as well as the cast and crew for being absolutely wonderful to work with.

Edie Gregg: (Props Master) is a junior THP major who missed her props department back in high school so much, she’s found a way to do it again! This is her second production on Purchase campus after The Taming of the Shrew in Spring ’21 (as Grumio), but it is her first production as part of the backstage crew, and she’s thrilled to be part of the Frame(D) team. She also runs Improv Club during the semester and she will happily talk your ear off about Star Wars, pirates, or cool weapons any time you ask.

Zach Dulny: (Lighting Designer) is in Purchase’s Theatre Design/Technology program with an emphasis in lighting design. He is from Shawnee, KS, and does designing all over the KC area. You can check out his work at https://bit.ly/DulnyDesigns.

Ben Free: (Lighting Designer) is a third-year lighting design student from Tolland, CT. His past credits include A Walrus in the Body of a Crocodile (ALD), Asé – Eliana (ALD),, and Dialogues of the Carmelites (Master Electrician). He would like to express thanks to his family and friends for their unconditional love and support.

Jack Worrell: (Sound Designer) is a studio production major studying to become a live sound engineer. He’s been doing sound most of his life and cannot wait to do it for more. He also loves chicken sandwiches and forest green.

Gabriel Ortega: (Director of Photography)( he/him). He is a sophomore Director/ Screenwriter/ Director of Photography in the Film BFA at Purchase. I work primarily as a DP on my peers sets however, He has written and directed a handful of his own projects. He is a Queens baby born and raised having gone to school in lower Manhattan where he primarily played soccer and Jazz guitar. You can catch him going on walks around campus, more than likely with a camera in hand, trying to build his own world through photography. It was an absolute joy and honor to have worked on this project and can’t wait to see how it mixes with the live production!

Zeena Kubeisy: (Assoc. Director of Photography) she/her), a purchase BFA filmmaker in the senior class. She loves telling stories and collaborating in all forms of media including film, theatre, books, graphic novels and music but her focus within film is screenwriting and cinematography. She loves telling stories and connecting with people through art and will be sharing my work and upcoming collaborations on my Instagram page

Seth Thompson: (Fight Choreographer) is a senior Theatre and Performance major. Purchase credits include The Bear (2020), Henry IV Part 1 (2019), They Don’t Say Howdy in Tehran (2019), No Strings (2019), and Homestead Wonderland (2018). He also does stage/screen combat, hence his participation in this production.

Esmee Johns: (Graphic Designer) (he/him) is from Saratoga Springs, NY and is a current junior in the painting and graphic design programs. He is the co-director of the Forum Art Space and the Multi design conference. He will be curating a group show at the Forum later this semester- be sure to keep an eye out on @forumartspace!

Leah M. Bickley: (she/her) (playwright, director, costume designer, and producer) A New York and San Francisco based director and playwright going into her senior year in the Conservatory of Theatre Arts at Purchase College. She would like to thank her family (Joanna, David, Rebecca, Adam, Rachel, Angelo, Thomas, Benji, Theo, Taco, and Stormy) for their constant support, her amazing roommates Julia Klot, Pauly Howard, and Becky Crosby for being a crucial part to her sanity throughout this process, “I wouldn’t be who I am without the most amazing support system lifting me up”.

Writing credits include:The Right Now Show with Trevor Johannasonberg, and The Great (Gay) Gatsby, Frame(D).

Directing credits include: Holiday Trip by Randy Santana Hildalgo (POV Festival 2021), The Right Now Show with Trevor Johannasonberg, and The Great (Gay) Gatsby.

Fun fact: during the pandemic, Leah founded a theatre company New Day Art Collective (formally known as Let’s Make a Theatre Company) with her mentor and has worked to coordinate three showcases in the last year and a half!

In our teaching and art, the Conservatory values inclusiveness, equality, and excellence. Upholding all of our training is our aim to train and graduate citizen artists: multifaceted people with a strong sense of purpose in approaching an arts education.

What is a citizen artist? Citizen artists seek to discover how their unique voices can contribute to our world. They understand what it means to be an artist, and what they are here on earth to say and do and make.

The Conservatory trains future citizen artists in three degree programs:

+ BFA Actor Training. The BFA is an intensive professional training program offered to a highly select and diverse group of students. The professional training is anchored in four years of study in acting, voice, speech, and movement, complemented by offerings in dramatic literature and analysis, history of the theatre, stage combat, improvisation, mask work, acting for the camera, and the business of acting. As one of five schools in the Consortium of Professional Theatre Training Programs, Purchase is one of a handful of colleges in the world capable of training artists at this level—and of drawing a faculty from the ranks of professional theatre

+ BFA in Theatre Design/Technology. Emphasizing studio and classroom training, our professional training program in theatre design/technology gives students the guidance and support of established and theatre industry professionals. Many of our alumni are recognized at the top of their field, and have received Tony, Emmy, Obie, and Drama Desk Awards, among other honors. Quite literally, Purchase grads are working in or have worked in every theatre on Broadway, in all tristate venues, and with countless touring productions

+ BA program in Theatre and Performance. From traditional theatre to cutting-edge interdisciplinary work, the theatre and performance major encourages creativity, intellectual curiosity, social engagement, and critical thinking. The core requirements combine scholarship and practice to provide students with a strong foundation in theatre history and dramatic literature, with mandatory stagecraft/production courses. Theatre and Performance majors are encouraged to expand the scope of their education by studying abroad, as well as pursuing coursework in other programs of study within the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Purchase College